Outrage Grows at Refusal of CBS and FOX to Broadcast Condom Ad

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Thousands Call on Networks to Reconsider;
President of Planned Parenthood Offers Sex Ed to Network Heads

New York— Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) President Cecile Richards today sent letters to executives at FOX and CBS, offering to provide the networks with much-needed health education on the public health benefits of pregnancy prevention and urging them to reconsider their recent decision against airing a condom advertisement. Last week The New York Times reported that FOX and CBS networks have refused to air a condom ad that focuses on pregnancy prevention rather than on prevention of sexually transmitted infections. Since then, more than 30,000 Planned Parenthood supporters have sent letters to FOX and CBS, calling on the networks to reconsider their decision.

"Preventing unintended pregnancy — and planning and spacing healthy, wanted pregnancies — are major public health issues and undoubtedly hit home for the majority of your viewers," said Richards. "It's troubling that these networks have taken sex to the bank with shows like Temptation Island and Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, yet they refuse to air an ad for the best birth control method for preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection."

In Richards' letters to Leslie Moonves, president and CEO of CBS Corporation, and Peter Liguori, president of Fox Entertainment, she urged the networks to reconsider their misguided decision, and offered to provide top executives at FOX and CBS with much-needed sex education on important reproductive health matters including pregnancy prevention.

"Approximately half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. This year, more than 750,000 teens will become pregnant and four million will contract a sexually transmitted infection," said Richards. "As major television networks, FOX and CBS have a responsibility to viewers to provide accurate health information and promote responsible decision making — and should take every opportunity to do more, not less, to help people stay safe and healthy."